Current un secretary general

The United Nations is struggling with close to US$2 billion dollars in unpaid contributions to its peacekeeping budget, with current cash balances covering less than two months of operations, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says contributions to peacekeeping operations are lagging AFP/Don EMMERT Guterres told UN member-states in a letter sent last week that the world body was forced to tap into a capital fund and special account to cover expenses from the regular UN budget at the end of last year. "Active peacekeeping missions are soon expected to face liquidity gaps due to late payments and increasing arrears," Guterres wrote in the letter seen by AFP on Tuesday. "As of today, arrears are nearing US$2 billion and are likely to keep growing. Current cash balances cover less than two months of operations, compared to four months last year," he added. The UN peacekeeping budget that runs from July 2018 to June 2019 totals … [Read more...] about UN peacekeeping missions at risk over US$2b budget gap

Viet Nam News KATOWICE, Poland — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sought to rescue deeply troubled climate talks in Poland on Wednesday, warning the battle against global warming is a "matter of life and death today." The two-week talks are tasked with breathing life into the 2015 Paris Agreement, which vows to cap global warming at "well under" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and 1.5oC if possible. But efforts to elaborate a "rule book" for the Paris pact and boost the carbon-cutting pledges have hit a wall, even as a barrage of scientific reports have warned that only immediate and radical measures can avert even more catastrophic extreme weather. "The key political issues remain unresolved," Guterres told ministers and diplomats only 48 hours before the 195-nation meeting in the Polish city of Katowice, in the heart of coal country. "To waste this opportunity would compromise our last best chance to stop runaway climate change," he said. "It would not … [Read more...] about Climate talks must be rescued, warns UN chief: COP24

UN Secretary General António Guterres pauses during his visit at the earthquake-devastated neighbourhood of Balaroa in Palu city. (Source: AP) Jakarta (VNA) – Leaders of the United Nations (UN) and the World Bank (WB) on October 12 visited Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province which was stricken by earthquakes and a tsunami last month. They included UN Secretary General António Guterres, WB CEO Kristalina Georgieva, representatives of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla. The senior officials toured Palu city, which included visits to the survivors living in shelters and the injured victims who received treatment in tents set up in Anutapura Hospital, which sustained damage after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit the region on September 28. They also visited the ruins of the Perumnas housing complex in Balaroa, one of two subdistricts along with Petobo in Palu city that were destroyed by soil … [Read more...] about UN, WB leaders visit quake-hit Indonesian city

Viet Nam News WASHINGTON — Nikki Haley abruptly resigned on Tuesday as the US ambassador to the United Nations, in the latest departure from President Donald Trump’s often shifting national security team. Meeting Haley in the Oval Office, Trump said she had done a "fantastic job" and would stay on to the end of the year. "She told me probably six months ago that ’I want to take a little time off’," Trump told reporters. A successor will be named "in the next two or three weeks," he said. However, Haley was coy on her reasons for quitting, saying only that it was "important to understand when it’s time to stand aside" after a string of challenging jobs. US media reports quoted administration officials saying privately that Haley’s departure was a surprise even to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. In a statement to journalists at the White House that lasted a few seconds, Pompeo called her a "great partner." He then refused to take … [Read more...] about Nikki Haley suddenly resigns as Trump’s UN ambassador

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc delivers a speech at the general debate of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 27 afternoon (local time) (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Phuong Nga has highlighted the outstanding outcomes of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s working trip to the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City, the US, on September 27. The Government leader engaged in an array of activities, including delivering a speech at the general debate of the UN General Assembly’s 73rd session and having meetings with President of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and leaders of five countries. He also joined a discussion with major US businesses and met US friends of Vietnam and representatives of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the UN and the Vietnamese community in New York. Deputy Minister Nga said the working trip was of special importance, … [Read more...] about PM’s working trip to UN headquarters is fruitful bilaterally, multilaterally: official

The deployment of the L2FH No.1 of Vietnam in the coming time to UNMISS has reaffirmed the country’s responsible and active role in the international community’s shared mission of restoring and maintaining peace. It will also help further beautify the images of Vietnam and the Vietnam People’s Army in the world. A Vietnamese officer (C) undertaking mission at the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (also called MINUSCA). Photo: vnpkc.gov.vn Since May 2014, Vietnam has sent 27 officers to two UN peacekeeping missions in the Republic of South Sudan and the Central African Republic. In doing so, the country has contributed its part to international peace and stability. The Vietnamese officers sent to the missions have undertaken the positions of military observers, as well as liaison, staff, and logistic officers. They were also ready to undertake other missions assigned by the United Nations … [Read more...] about Vietnam active in joining UN peacekeeping operations

Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (Source: Graphic Online)The current UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, will lay a wreath in honour of Annan and deliver a speech at a ceremony on August 22nd at UN headquarters in New York, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Guterres. A book of condolences will be in place at UN headquarters till the end of the week, said Dujarric, who also served as Annan's spokesman. Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo on August 19th announced a week of mourning to pay homage to former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. President Nana Akufo-Addo in a statement said he was "deeply saddened" by the news of Annan's death. "The Government and people of Ghana, First Lady Rebecca and I are deeply saddened by the news of the death, in Berne, Switzerland, of one of our greatest compatriots, Mr. Kofi Annan," the statement said. "...I have directed that, in his honour, Ghana’s national flag will fly at half-mast … [Read more...] about UN to hold events to commemorate Kofi Annan

Viet Nam News WASHINGTON — The United States withdrew from the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday, condemning the "hypocrisy" of its members and its alleged "unrelenting bias" against Israel. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, came to Washington to announce the decision alongside President Donald Trump’s top diplomat, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Both insisted the United States would remain a leading champion of human rights but, for many, the decision will reflect Trump’s general hostility to the world body and to multilateral diplomacy in general. The announcement came after the top UN human rights official criticised Washington for separating migrant children from their parents who are seeking asylum after crossing into the country from Mexico. But Haley and Pompeo stressed the decision had been made after a long year of efforts to shame the council into reform and to remove member states that themselves commit abuses. "These … [Read more...] about US withdraws from ’cesspool’ UN human rights body

File photo of US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley speaking during the UN Security Council meeting in New York. (Don EMMERT/AFP) The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, came to Washington to announce the decision alongside President Donald Trump's top diplomat, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Both insisted the United States would remain a leading champion of human rights, but for many, the decision will reflect Trump's general hostility to the world body and to multilateral diplomacy in general. The announcement came after the top UN human rights official criticised Washington for separating migrant children from their parents who are seeking asylum after crossing into the country from Mexico. But Haley and Pompeo stressed the decision had been made after a long year of efforts to shame the council into reform and to remove member states that themselves commit abuses. "These reforms were needed in order to make the council a serious advocate for human rights," Haley … [Read more...] about US withdraws from UN Human Rights Council

UNITED NATIONS — The United States is on track to meet the targets of the Paris climate agreement despite President Donald Trump’s plan to withdraw from the accord, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday. Guterres said emissions-cutting plans put in motion by American businesses, regional governments and cities meant that the goals set by the former US administration which signed the deal in 2016 were within reach. "We have seen in the cities, and we have seen in many states, a very strong commitment to the Paris agreement, to the extent that some indicators are moving even better than in the recent past," Guterres told reporters at UN headquarters in New York. "There are expectations that, independently of the position of the administration, the US might be able to meet the commitments made in Paris as a country." Under the deal, the administration of former president Barack Obama pledged to cut domestic greenhouse gas emissions 26 to 28 percent below … [Read more...] about US on track to meet climate targets despite Trump: UN chief